Julot Cousins

Hula Hoop on a Mobile Pole over 9 meters high, Acrobatics, Gags

Julot Etienne, known as Cousins, began his acrobatic career in the 1980s. Through various trainings that shaped his imagination, especially with Gérard Vigne, he discovered the world of circus and took to the streets with the company "Paillasse Ambulante," which he created with Joseph Diacoyannis, his lifelong partner. Later performing under the name Julot, he developed a rola bola balancing act. With this, he traveled for 10 years across many different venues: from traditional circuses to nightclubs, conventions to festivals. In 1991, together with two partners, Lolo and René, he founded the company "Les Cousins." Over 20 years, they created 9 shows and performed in more than 60 countries worldwide, working in a wide variety of contexts — an incredible adventure that ended in 2013.

In 2001, he founded the “Elsewhere and From Here Clown Collective,” an association aimed at supporting the circus school at the "Phare Ponleu Selpak" social center in Cambodia. The project includes training young instructors, hosting Cambodian youth in French circus schools, sending circus equipment containers, and providing a big top to support show creation and touring in France, Algeria, Italy, Japan, Germany, and more. This project continues today both in Cambodia and France.

Since 2007, he has presented a new show, “Hula Hoopla!!!”, an acrobatic performance on a 9-meter-high swinging pole. It is a way to reconnect with the thrill of the circus. He has performed in France, Spain, Italy, Morocco, Brazil, Japan, Myanmar, and more — at street festivals, conventions, and large circuses.

Awards

• Festival du Cirque de Monte-Carlo, Monaco — awarded the “Trofia” at the 47th Cirque
  
• Rosgocyrk Award at the World Circus Art Festival “Idol” in Moscow
  
• Official Critics’ Prize and Special Prize for “Creativity and Originality in the Discipline” at the 19th International Circus Festival of Ity, Latina (2018)
  
• Bronze Star at the 18th Cirque Festival Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Isère
  
• Special Prize from the Belarusian State Circus at the 13th Budapest Circus Festival — National Circus Prize of Budapest
  
• Prix Bretagne Circus at the 22nd International Circus Artists Festival in Saint-Paul-Lès-Dax
• Circus Club Award and Zippos Circus Award at the 22nd International Cirque des Mureaux Festival
  

“Hula Hooplà” 

By & with Julot Cousins

A pole with guy wires, suspended hula hoops — here comes our man to perform. Nothing like an ordinary Chinese pole. He starts on the ground spinning around the pole, then slowly climbs up, reaching the top… then on top of the pole, skillfully rotating the hula hoops… until, with great grace, he finds himself in a truly tricky situation. An oversized Chinese pole, over 9 meters high — and flexible to boot — set up in a public square… Colors, hoops, and of course hula hoops… flexibility, undulations, dizziness — making an already breathtaking act at such heights even more incredible. True to circus tradition, Julot, suspended between sky and earth, keeps us breathless while making us smile. He juggles hula hoops on a flexible mat 9 meters above ground as if it were nothing, letting us savor the fascinating thrill of vertigo.

Website:  https://www.julot-hulahoopla.org/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/julot.cousins/